Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Performance Chip or AFC

Stupid question-
Do the super chips and diablo chips work with say an Apex-SAFC? I thought that the chips made the computer use more aggressive air fuel mixtures. If so why would anyone want to use the Apexi with a chip? Isn't that rather redundant?

Uh no! What about the timing and spark advance? The AFC controller cant control neither one of these.

while we are on the subject- wher is a good place for me to pic up a used chip? anyone? PM me please!!!

If you plan on getting more mods later, I suggest you go w/ the S-AFC. Yes, you can't advance/retard timing, but you can make adjustments as you go, w/ more mods. Can't do the same w/ the chip, would have to get a custom burn every time. ($$$)

And plus, you can see actual gains w/ the S-AFC, unlike the chip.

John

I'm gonna disagree w/ JVT on this one.
while the SAFC does provide some control over a/f ratio (by basically tricking the PCM) it can never effect the ignition timing, which is just as important. Also, the adjustment it does provide is limited, and according to some schools of thought, only temporary, becasue the adaptive nature of the Ford EEC will eventually negate some of the effects of the adjustment (while I tend to agree w/ this line of thought, I have no empirical evidence to back it up, so I only offer it as food for thought)

Bottom line - while the SAFC can be a useful tool in some situations, its method of operation leaves something to be desired, and can only effect half of what you really need to properly tune an engine.

As far as chips go, mail-order chips rarely do much good, as each engine is a little different, as are the conditions each engine sees, so somebody writing a single program for 1000 different engines all over the country also leaves a lot to be desired.

The proper way to handle things, is with a dyno (or in-application) tuned chip done by an experienced and knowledgable calibrator/tuner.

Unfortunately, doing things the right way can be expensive.

Ahhh Rara you kill me :rolleyes: , you slam the S-AFC even though it is a proven and effective tuning tool (see Kaiser's Dynos for proof).
With that said, I suggest you get a chip and S-AFC. The chip will give you some timing advance as well as the secondary opening improvement, rev limiter lift etc, and then once it's settled down, adjust the A/F ratio on a dyno, then you will be set.

You can advance timing by doing the IAT mod. Not much advance but it does seem to help some cars. It tricks the IAT into thinking the air is colder than it actually is and advances timing. Others may have more info on this.

geez stazi, do you even read the whole post?

Holy flying sheep dip! That is hands down the shortest reply by Brian EVER!!

I think a custom chip is as good as the afc. I do have some dyno info on this that I have not shared yet. I now have 127 dyno runs with an afc hooked up and I can tell you this. If you reset your computer or battery dies, turn your afc back to 0's for a couple of days. The computer has to relearn it's old a/f code before the afc can correct it. I have reset and left it lean out mode and the car goes lean. I have also reset with the rich setting on and the car will then go rich and you will have to lean out the afc. It will however hold the air fuel as long as there is no reset. I have gone months and gone back and the air fuel mapped beautiful, as long as I didn't reset the pcm. I have a theory that if you dyno and get the #'s for your current set up and then have to reset and let the computer relearn you should be able to put the same #'s back in and be the same. I haven't proven that part yet due to other projects I am working on. Now remember I am returnless so the pcm is controling the fuel not a fpr so it may be different for cars that are not returnless.

Bottom line-afc works great and gives great gains across the rpm band. So will a chip. They are both effective, just one you need to pay more attention to and the other you just pay more on.